How Companies Should Respond II: Government Edition

Last week I wrote about Minute Maid’s clever, Ghostbusters reference-laden response to my request to bring back Ecto-Cooler. Seems like it’s not only corporations who are giving out clever responses. So is the government. In December, a petition of a required 25,000+ names went forward to the White House to ask them to build a … Read more

Hypothetical Fatherhood #9 | New Similes for “Snug as a Bug in a Rug”

This post originally appeared at HypotheticalFatherhood.com, my 2011 side project as I prepared to become a father. Please click here to read more about the project, its migration to The Life Mosaic, and see the entire HF archive list.

If you’ve ever tried to get a newborn to calm down, you know that swaddling can be a key factor in helping your baby get comfortable and cute all at the same time. Observe:

Wrapping a baby in a tight, light blanket specifically for swaddling keeps it warm and cozy in a stance and overall feel reminiscent of being in the womb and they absolutely love it. This tightly-swaddled baby is often referred to as a “Baby Burrito” or, in my family which has some Chinese heritage, a “Baby Egg Roll.”

After swaddling a newborn, many parents, even the most stoic of fathers, may find it difficult not to tell their sweet child that they are indeed as “Snug as a Bug in a Rug!”

That catchy phrase certainly works, yet perhaps there are alternative similes that are more accurate and interesting…

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Hypothetical Fatherhood #8 | George Lucas Appeals to Dads, Episode II

This post originally appeared at HypotheticalFatherhood.com, my 2011 side project as I prepared to become a father. Please click here to read more about the project, its migration to The Life Mosaic, and see the entire HF archive list.

By now, you may have heard the rumors of new additions, tweaks, and unnecessary changes being made to the Star Wars films for their release on Blu-ray this month. The internet is going insane over this, people are choosing the light side or the dark side, and many diehard fanboys are canceling their pre-orders (this fanboy, who has spent much of his disposable income on Star Wars merchandise over the years, didn’t even place an order in the first place).

In an effort to appeal to young men who grew up watching Star Wars and who are now working fathers, George Lucas has added new scenes to the Star Wars trilogy. Check out this scene from The Empire Strikes Back

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Hypothetical Fatherhood #6 | George Lucas Appeals to Dads, Episode I

This post originally appeared at HypotheticalFatherhood.com, my 2011 side project as I prepared to become a father. Please click here to read more about the project, its migration to The Life Mosaic, and see the entire HF archive list.

By now, you may have heard the rumors of new additions, tweaks, and unnecessary changes being made to the Star Wars films for their release on Blu-ray this month. The internet is going insane over this, people are choosing the light side or the dark side, and many diehard fanboys are canceling their pre-orders (this fanboy, who has spent much of his disposable income on Star Wars merchandise over the years, didn’t even place an order in the first place).

In an effort to appeal to young men who grew up watching Star Wars and who are now working fathers, George Lucas has added new scenes to the Star Wars trilogy. Check out this scene from The Empire Strikes Back

Read more

Hypothetical Fatherhood #3 | Breastmilk Storage: Star Wars Style

This post originally appeared at HypotheticalFatherhood.com, my 2011 side project as I prepared to become a father. Please click here to read more about the project, its migration to The Life Mosaic, and see the entire HF archive list.

Making sure your newborn infant has all of the nutritious breastmilk it needs in that first year is important. That’s why pumping and storing breastmilk is no laughing matter. Sure, you can store breastmilk in the fridge for a few days, and even the freezer for a few months. And don’t forget a deep freeze is good for nearly a year. However, there are alternative places to store your breastmilk for your baby, courtesy of the Star Wars universe.

Three Breastmilk Storage Areas from The Empire Strikes Back

1. Taun Taun

Strap filled milk bottles to the belly strap of your saddle around your Taun Taun and you’ve always got baby’s meal on the go. Do you need to warm it up in a jiffy? Let your Taun Taun freeze after you reach the third marker, take your buddy’s lightsaber, and slice open that Taun Taun belly. That steaming pile of tubular guts is going to get that bottle warm in no time (note: be sure to set the bottle near the guts and not in the guts to avoid “hot spots” in the milk). Good for up to two years of storage.

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Hypothetical Fatherhood #2 | Baby’s First Word

This post originally appeared at HypotheticalFatherhood.com, my 2011 side project as I prepared to become a father. Please click here to read more about the project, its migration to The Life Mosaic, and see the entire HF archive list.

Baby’s first word. A beautiful sound to any father’s ears, particularly if it’s “Da-Da.” But what if baby’s first word showed it’s shared interest in something you enjoy? Such a profound commonality, and to be put forth with baby’s first word, no less! The bond between baby and father would be that much stronger.

Ten “Baby’s First Words” You’ll Never Hear (But Maybe Wish You Would):

10. “Baseball!”

There’s a ritual that many fathers have with their children: bringing them to their first baseball game. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know all those years spent memorizing thousands of stats, rosters, games, and so on are all going to pay off with your offspring?

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